I
visited Uparkot Fort, which was originally built around 300 BCE, but extended many times since. It's said that it was once abandoned for three centuries. This photo is the Kadanal gun, which was probably left in Diu, a Portuguese settlement, in the sixteenth century. I wandered around the fort, which has amazing views of Girnar Hill, another major pilgrimage site. I didn't visit the hill because I'd climbed enough stairs for a long time... and this site had 10,000!!
Inside
the walled city I also visited two
stepwells; Adi Chadi, which is cut deep into the side of the cliffs, and Navaghan Kuva, which has steps circling the inner well, with windows cut into the stone. Both are just too large to capture in a photo. Gujarat is a dry state: it is both drought prone, and drinking alcohol is not allowed. I'm finding it a little difficult to get used to the dry winter here; even the driest summer in Canada is more humid.
Next I visited the Buddhist caves, built around the second century CE. Inside the caves several pillars with carvings supported the roof, and niches were cut into the walls.
The Jama Masjid is a mosque built from a Hindu temple, and the sun looked lovely shining between the columns inside.
With some care for my head (thinking of Palitana) I climbed the stairs to the roof for more views of Girnar Hill.
From the fort I walked toward Girnar Hill to visit a huge boulder with Ashokan edicts cut into it in the Pali language. This stone was first carved in 250 BCE by
Emperor Ashoka, the central leader of the Mauryan period, who was responsible for the peak of Buddhism in India when he converted.
Finally, I visited the gorgeous Mahabat Maqbara, and drew an increasing number of young
Muslim boys who wanted their photos taken. This mosque was built in the Indo-Islamic style in the mid nineteenth century. I declined to climb a broken ladder to the roof of the mosque, but I did climb one of the four minarets with spiral staircases. At the top, I could actually feel the minaret sway! I also had a great view of the functioning mosque beside Mahabat Maqbara, and the lot behind the mosque, where Muslim men were playing cricket wearing this traditional dress.
At the bottom again, I met a French couple travelling, and so spoke to the first white people since arriving in India. It was interesting to hear their experience of having arrived only a week earlier; they were dismayed by the "bucket bath" and curious about how I managed, travelling alone as a white woman. I can honestly say I've had only the most minor of problems in this sense.
While I'll always draw attention for being foreign (and travelling alone), I've also settled into a different culture of living. However, I can remember the steep learning curve too. My strategy has generally been to avoid trying to understand, and just trying to accept... except for Hindi; I'd really like to understand that better!
visited Uparkot Fort, which was originally built around 300 BCE, but extended many times since. It's said that it was once abandoned for three centuries. This photo is the Kadanal gun, which was probably left in Diu, a Portuguese settlement, in the sixteenth century. I wandered around the fort, which has amazing views of Girnar Hill, another major pilgrimage site. I didn't visit the hill because I'd climbed enough stairs for a long time... and this site had 10,000!!
Inside 
the walled city I also visited two stepwells; Adi Chadi, which is cut deep into the side of the cliffs, and Navaghan Kuva, which has steps circling the inner well, with windows cut into the stone. Both are just too large to capture in a photo. Gujarat is a dry state: it is both drought prone, and drinking alcohol is not allowed. I'm finding it a little difficult to get used to the dry winter here; even the driest summer in Canada is more humid.
Next I visited the Buddhist caves, built around the second century CE. Inside the caves several pillars with carvings supported the roof, and niches were cut into the walls.
The Jama Masjid is a mosque built from a Hindu temple, and the sun looked lovely shining between the columns inside. 
With some care for my head (thinking of Palitana) I climbed the stairs to the roof for more views of Girnar Hill.
From the fort I walked toward Girnar Hill to visit a huge boulder with Ashokan edicts cut into it in the Pali language. This stone was first carved in 250 BCE by Emperor Ashoka, the central leader of the Mauryan period, who was responsible for the peak of Buddhism in India when he converted.
Finally, I visited the gorgeous Mahabat Maqbara, and drew an increasing number of young 
Muslim boys who wanted their photos taken. This mosque was built in the Indo-Islamic style in the mid nineteenth century. I declined to climb a broken ladder to the roof of the mosque, but I did climb one of the four minarets with spiral staircases. At the top, I could actually feel the minaret sway! I also had a great view of the functioning mosque beside Mahabat Maqbara, and the lot behind the mosque, where Muslim men were playing cricket wearing this traditional dress.
At the bottom again, I met a French couple travelling, and so spoke to the first white people since arriving in India. It was interesting to hear their experience of having arrived only a week earlier; they were dismayed by the "bucket bath" and curious about how I managed, travelling alone as a white woman. I can honestly say I've had only the most minor of problems in this sense. 
While I'll always draw attention for being foreign (and travelling alone), I've also settled into a different culture of living. However, I can remember the steep learning curve too. My strategy has generally been to avoid trying to understand, and just trying to accept... except for Hindi; I'd really like to understand that better!
